obstetrics

American  

[uhb-ste-triks] / əbˈstɛ trɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. the branch of medical science concerned with childbirth and caring for and treating women in or in connection with childbirth. OB, ob

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obstetrics British  

/ ɒbˈstɛtrɪks /

noun

1. (functioning as singular) the branch of medicine concerned with childbirth and the treatment of women before and after childbirth

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obstetrics Scientific  

/ ŏb-stĕt′rĭks /

1. The branch of medicine that deals with the care of women during pregnancy and childbirth.

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obstetrics Cultural  

1. A branch of medicine that deals with the care of women during pregnancy, labor, and the period of recovery following childbirth.

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Etymology

Origin of obstetrics

First recorded in 1810–20; obstetric, -ics

Example Sentences

Smaller but real tailwinds could accrue to insurers with maternal and pediatric products, hospital operators with obstetrics and fertility exposure, preschool and education providers, and travel companies if family-friendly tourism gets sustained policy support.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The reason was straightforward: These medications were and are used in obstetrics and gynecology for other reasons.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

The case revolved around Cardi B's obstetrics appointment, when she was four months pregnant with her first child.

From BBC • Sep. 2, 2025

He feels so natural in front of the camera that “Caught Stealing” almost seems like a star reborn, despite Butler’s star being relatively fresh from the obstetrics unit as it is.

From Salon • Aug. 29, 2025

Farmer was trained as an internist and ID specialist, but he had studied other fields on his own, including obstetrics and gynecology, because the needs of his patients demanded it.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French